Gary Shirley on Sharing Custody With Amber Portwood: "It's Going to Stay the Way It Is"

Credit:
Jackson Lee / Brian Prahl, Splash

In case you missed it (unlikely!), Teen Mom's Amber Portwood was released from prison back in November, after serving 17 months of her five year sentence. Amber's release was met with celebration from her loved ones, but no one was more excited to have this infamous starlet back home than her daughter, Leah!

Amber and Leah have been spending loads of time together since Amber's return to the real world — never forget the good ol' days when she used melted jolly ranchers as hair spray — but the problem? Leah's dad, Gary Shirley, has had full custody of this little lady since December 2011, and he isn't willing to give up his rights!

“Well, everyone knows that she went to jail for drugs and stuff,” Gary tells OK! Magazine. “I’m not saying that she’ll ever get back into that, but I hear stories of how easy it is [to relapse] because that pressure is always there. I don’t want to screw myself over [with joint custody] and then have to fight for Leah. So I think it’s going to stay the way it is."

Gary says that he'd like to retain full custody "just to protect Leah,” but adds that his daughter still spends plenty of time with her mom — despite a few hiccups along the way.

“Sometimes I let Leah stay the night over [with Amber] before school so her hair is all nicely done for school," Gary says, “I feel like she has her daughter in mind more. But I thinks he’s still adjusting to being out of prison. She needs to accept Leah at the age she is, versus the age she was when Amber went away. Leah’s smarter and more independent now, and it’s hard [for Amber] to say, ‘Wow, you’re not a baby any more. I don’t have to hold the cup for you!'"

It's pretty decent of Gary to let Leah spend the night with Amber despite their custody arrangement. Hopefully, Ambs will earn Gary's trust over time and get partial custody of their sweet daughter!